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DEAR JERRY:I know you've written about “Manhattan” before, but there is one peculiar line in the song that I have never seen explained. My copy is by Dinah Washington, but I imagine other recordings of “Manhattan” are the same.
In the part about going to Yonkers, Dinah sings about how they both will starve in either Childs or Chiles.
Is this an area or community in Yonkers?
New Yorkers no doubt understand the reference, but can you enlighten the rest of us about this place where couples go when starvation is their goal? —Doreen Stanford, Indianapolis
DEAR DOREEN: For those who don't have the tune handy, here is the entire verse in question:
“We'll go to Yonkers
Where true love conquers
In the wilds
And starve together, dear
In Childs”
Richard and Lorenz may have chosen Childs' Restaurant simply because it rhymes with wilds, but the humorous implication refers to their reputation at the time for serving small portions.
Fortunately for the hungry twosome flitting about the Boroughs, inexpensive nutrients awaited them at Coney Island, as told in the next verse:
“We'll go to Coney
And eat baloney
On a roll”
“Manhattan” is loaded with other references known well by locals, among them: The Bronx; Staten Island; the (Central Park) Zoo; Delancey Street; the subway; Mott Street; pushcarts; Central Park; and “My Fair Lady” (Broadway show).
And those are just the ones included in Dinah Washington's 1960 rendition.
As originally written, “Manhattan” contains about twice as many verses, and mentions many more familiar places and things: Niagara (Falls); Greenwich; Bowling Green (Park); Brighton (Beach); Jamaica Bay; Canarsie's Lake; “Abie's Irish Rose” (Broadway show); Fifth Avenue; Bronx Park Express; Flatbush; and Inspiration Point.
It seems as though every recording of “Manhattan” includes some, but not all, of the original lyrics. At least I have not heard one. However, by listening to three different records, by Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, and Dinah Washington, I accounted for all of the original lyrics.
Written in 1925 for the Broadway comedy of the same name, “Manhattan” is the song that paved the road ahead for Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart.
When Hart died in 1943, the team had 28 stage shows, some later reborn in Hollywood for the silver screen (“Pal Joey”; “Babes in Arms”; “On Your Toes”; etc.), and over 500 songs to their credit.
Among their memorable milepost standards are: “Dancing on the Ceiling”; “My Romance”; “My Funny Valentine”; “Where Or When”; “The Lady Is a Tramp”; “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered”; “It's Easy to Remember”; “Blue Moon”; “I Could Write a Book”; and “You Took Advantage of Me.” In 1943, Richard and his future partner, lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, wrote their first musical, the landmark “Oklahoma.”
Using this blockbuster as a template of sorts, Rodgers & Hammerstein churned out one smash hit Broadway show, and inevitable film, after another: “Carousel”; “South Pacific”; “The King and I”; “The Sound of Music”; etc.
By 1960, Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) and Oscar Hammerstein II (1895-1960) were the all-time No. 1 musical theater collaboration, and they still are.
DEAR JERRY:There is a piano instrumental the stations in Phoenix played in the 1950s, where the music is occasionally interrupted by a man asking for a match.
Can you tell me anything about this recording? —Marla Gregory, Palm Desert, Calif.
DEAR MARLA: “Got a Match?” came out first in mid-1958 by the Daddy-O's (Cabot 122). Since a piano is prominent in this version, it is probably the one you recall.
ABC-Paramount immediately issued a cover, by Frank Gallup with Don Costa's Orchestra & Chorus (45-9931). With Costa's touch, this track is more orchestrated than the original. It features a harpsichord instead of a piano, and includes lots of “la-la-las” from the chorus, not found on the Cabot single.
Of the two, the original sold a bit better, eventually charting at No. 39. The Gallup disc peaked at No. 57.
The B-side of Frank Gallup's single, “I Beg Your Pardon!,” is practically a carbon copy of “Got a Match?” Instead of asking “Hey there, got a match,” the same voice, in the same way, says “I beg your pardon.”
IZ ZAT SO? Frank Gallop, shown as Frank Gallup on “Got a Match?,” achieved greater success with a comical parody of Lorne Greene's No. 1 hit, the 1964 cowboy gunfighter tale of “Ringo.”
Slightly over a year later, Gallop galloped into the Top 40 with “The Ballad of Irving (The 142nd Fastest Gun in the West).”
Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column. Write Jerry at: Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368 E-mail: jpo@olympus.net Visit his Web site: www.jerryosborne.com
All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.
Copyright 2011 Osborne Enterprises - Reprinted By Exclusive Permission
very busy day at the CVR blog, lots of record store day news (ya think?) starting with the folks in Long Beach, CA who get a special treat!
Foo Fighters To Headline Record Store Day In-Store Rock Show
On Saturday, April 16th, Record Store Day, Fingerprints will play host to one the world's most beloved rock bands, Foo Fighters. "I'm proud to be a part of Record Store Day. I grew up discovering music that changed my life in record stores like Fingerprints and will always do everything I can to keep that experience alive for generations to come," says head Foo Dave Grohl
Holy Ghost And Eskuché Team Up For Record Store Day Release
Lifestyle audio headphone innovator eskuché (es·koo·chay), have announced the release of their third installment of "Obsessive Compulsive Frequency," a series devoted to showcasing exclusive content of emerging and innovative artist who are defining new genres today.
Beginning Record Store Day, Saturday, April 16th, Volume 3 of eskuché's "Obsessive Compulsive Frequency" vinyl series features Brooklyn based DFA recording artist Holy Ghost!, whom are known around the globe for their party starting singles and their unparalleled ability to get bodies moving on the dance floor.
Limited to 50012" vinyl records, the installment features Holy's Ghost's original track "i know, i hear," while filling the grooves on the wax is a remix from label mate Jacques Renault as well as a dub remix from Eric B.
Bad Brains Reissue 'Pay to Cum' Single For Record Store Day
For Record Store Day (April 16th), legendary label ROIR and hardcore godfathers Bad Brains are teaming up to re-release one of the most important pieces of wax in the punk canon: the 'Pay to Cum' 7" vinyl single. The reissue will feature a remastered version of the single, which was originally produced by Jimmy Quidd and released in 1980.
'Pay to Cum' returns to store shelves with its original artwork and lyric sheet insert. The 7" will be available in standard black vinyl, as well as in a limited number of colored vinyl. There will be 250 red and 250 green copies pressed.
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and in the uk,
Sony Music Supports UK Record Store Day 2011
A global event, Record Store Day sees over a thousand record stores taking part across 18 countries and four continents. More than 150 UK indie record stores took part in last year’s event and over 180 are signed up for this year.
Sony Music has lined up its best ever series of releases to support the event. Additionally Columbia Records’ The View have recorded the anthem for the event in the form of their new release 'I Need That Record'.
Mike Smith, Managing Director of Columbia Records, says: “I’m thrilled that once again that Columbia Records and Sony Music have come up with a fantastic selection of bespoke releases for Record Store Day. It’s heartening to see how this event has grown in such a short space of time for independent record stores and it’s now a genuinely exciting day in the music calendar each year. I think The View have perfectly expressed how we all feel about records and music.
Pete Leggatt, VP Of Sales, Sony Music says: “With over twenty very different products & over 20k units manufactured, Sony Music is more committed than ever to ‘Record Store Day’ and the valuable Indie retail sector it represents”
AC/DC – “Shoot To Thrill” - special 7” vinyl b/w “War Machine”.
BETH DITTO – “I Wrote The Book” – Special 4-track EP on CD and vinyl –ltd to 500 copies.
BOB DYLAN –“Subterranean Homesick Blues”Ting Ting Remix – 7” vinyl in customised Tong Tings sleeve
RAY LAMONTAGNE – “Live – Fall 2010” – special vinyl 6 track album.
THE CLASH – “Magnificent Seven”/ “The Cool Out” – Numbered red vinyl and CD single.
THE VACCINES – “LIVE FROM LONDON” – Limited edition bootleg album on CD and 12” vinyl.
THE VIEW – “I Need That Record” - Limited numbered 7”vinyl with etched B-side.
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a big fan, i hope that he adds more shows, i'd love to see him in milwaukee!
Former Yes Frontman Jon Anderson Goes On Acoustic Tour
Former Yes frontman Jon Anderson has announced "An Acoustic Evening With Jon Anderson" spring tour in support of Anderson's forthcoming solo album 'Survival and Other Stories.'
The tour will feature material from Anderson's prolific solo career, collaborations with Vangelis as well as classic Yes songs, along with new compositions from his pending CD, and promises a magical and memorable evening of enchanting music for all who attend!
"An Acoustic Evening With Jon Anderson" tour dates:
4/23/2011 - Somerville Theatre - Somerville, MA
4/26/2011 - Havana New Hope - New Hope, PA
4/28/2011 - Infinity Hall - Norfolk, CT
4/30/2011 - B.B. Kings Blues Club & Grill - New York, NY
5/02/2011 - Musikfest Cafe ArtsQuest Center at Steel Slacks - Bethlehem, PA
5/04/2011 - Theatre of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA
5/06/2011 - Princeton University - McCarter Theatre - Princeton, NJ
5/07/2011 - New Jersey Performing Arts Center - Victoria Theatre - Newark, NJ
5/09/2011 - Rams Head On Stage - Annapolis, MD
5/11/2011 - Rams Head On Stage - Annapolis, MD
5/12/2011 - Rebecca Cohn Auditorium - Halifax, Nova Scotia
5/13/2011 - The Flying Monkey Movie House & Performing Center - Plymouth, NH
5/15/2011 - Bates College Olin Arts Center - Concert Hall - Lewiston, ME
5/18/2011 - Tupelo Music Hall - Londonderry, NH
5/19/2011 - Tupelo Music Hall - Londonderry, NH
5/21/2011 - Woodstock Town Hall Theatre - Woodstock, VT
5/25/2011 - Ellsworth Grand Auditorium - Ellsworth , ME
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as a fellow collector and thrift store rival, nothing beats finding some great vinyl at a local thrift shop. he had some interesting finds, read about the top ten records he found
Ten choice thrift store album finds
Check out Andy's great music scores
Andrew Merey
Although vinyl records are making a comeback, for many years they weren't in vogue. But one fairly good source for buying them (and very inexpensively at that) was the retail thrift store.
A local Goodwill branch closed a while back, ending my 10-year stretch of frequenting the place, primarily in search of used albums and singles.
There are still other similar outlets around, but Goodwill's donors seem to overall offer better product.
Discovering prized items in good condition involves ingenuity. Since it's a hit-and-miss situation, consistently regular visits are imperative for maximum results. You'd be surprised how many record collectors are in competition.....
Cleveland record shop uses old album covers as flooring
not really sure i like the idea, seems wrong. however, that said, and if you didn't have the vinyl for these albums, what else are you to do with old cardboard?
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and in music history for the day:
In 1956, Paramount Pictures signed Elvis Presley to a three-picture deal just five days after his first screen test in Hollywood. Elvis was to be paid $100,000 for his first movie, $150,000 for the second and $200,000 for the third.
In 1956, Capitol Tower, the home of Capitol Records in Hollywood, CA, was dedicated. It was the first circular office tower designed in America. It is 13 stories tall and 92 feet in diameter.
Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up" was released in 1957.
The Kingsmen recorded their version of the song "Louie Louie" in 1963.
The Beach Boys recorded "California Girls" in 1965.
In 1966, the first session for what would become The Beatles’ Revolver album started with the recording of “Tomorrow Never Knows” at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London.
Apple Corps Ltd., the Beatles' record company and management and publishing firm, opened in 1968.
In 1968, it was announced that Pink Floyd founder member Syd Barrett had officially left the group. Barrett suffered from psychiatric disorders compounded by drug use.
The California Jam 1 festival took place in Ontario, California in 1974, featuring the Eagles, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Earth Wind & Fire, ELP, Black Oak Arkansas and Seals & Croft. Over 200,000 attended. man, i'd a been there if i could.....
Also in 1974, a seven piece group called Blue Swede became the first Swedish act to top the US charts when their version of "Hooked On A Feeling" went to number one. Although the arrangement brought a fresh sound to the old B.J. Thomas hit, the single didn't chart at all in the UK. and, no, i won't put a youtube video of this ooga chaka freakin' song!
In 1998, Wendy O. Williams former singer of The Plasmatics, died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Williams was known for her wild stage theatrics which included blowing up equipment, near nudity and chain-sawing guitars.
In 1998, the “first lady of country music” Tammy Wynette, who scored 12 hit singles, sold over 30 million records worldwide, married five times and once filed for bankruptcy, died aged 55
In 2004, 66 year old Niki Sullivan, one of the original Crickets, passed away at his home in Independence, Missouri. Sullivan joined up with Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison and Joe Mauldin in 1956 and played on most of the songs the band recorded. The hassle of touring finally forced him to drop out of the group in 1957. He retired from the music business, but occasionally performed at Holly tribute events.
birthdays today include Frank Black of theThe Pixies (1965) & Stan Cullimore of The Housemartins (1962)
heard from the folks at Yardsellr (i had not heard of them) and besides offering everything but the kitchen sink for sale (i bet they have a section for that, i'll have to look!), they have a sprawling 'block' devoted to our beloved vinyl records. so, if eBay is giving you fits (and if it hasn't, it will), try this new site for classic vinyl, you will be surprised at the selection and the method to their madness!
We believe people are natural-born buyers and sellers. In the tradition of neighborhood garage- and yard-sales, we make it easy for you to sell or buy whatever you want. Best of all, the buying and selling is done by regular people like you. That means you get great prices from folks you can trust within your network or within a friend's network.
When you put something up for sale, Yardsellr will spread the word about your item within your online neighborhood: "blocks" of other Yardsellr-s who love what you love, and in the news feeds of millions of Yardsellr fans on Facebook. No matter where they are online, Yardsellr finds other folks who are buying what you are selling.
For the buyer, Yardsellr is just as easy. Sites like Craigslist and eBay have become pretty crowded and hard to use. It's tough to know who you can trust and even harder to find great deals from everyday people. When you join any "block" on Yardsellr -- whether it's Jewelry, Star Wars, Baseball Cards, Scrapbooking, or Hello Kitty, or any of the the other 4,000+ blocks -- you get first crack at buying thousands of items listed by sellers at fantastic Yardsellr prices. Checkout is a breeze -- just pay with any credit card and the seller will send your item directly to you.
Buying and selling is always fun with Yardsellr, but so is the conversation in the blocks. Blocks are loaded with people who love what you love and there are thousands of comments and conversations to join. (To be honest, that's just as important to us as the cash register.) Give it a try!
and some more info about the site:
Yardsellr Is Turning Facebook Into eBay 2.0
BY E.B. Boyd
eBay is a sprawling market today, but when it was founded in 1995, it was based on a simple idea: Collectors love to gather to trade their wares and hobnob about their passions. The Internet, Pierre Omidyar knew, was a way to get those folks out of parking lot flea markets and into a place where they could more efficiently find buyers and sellers, and chat about the items that delighted them.
Yardsellr, which launched earlier this year, is built on the same premise: the Internet can be a way to efficiently connect collectors. But Yardsellr’s big idea is that standalone websites—like eBay—are passé. The best way to connect buyers and sellers today, says founder Danny Leffel, is within their Facebook News Feeds.
“When eBay started, the web was lonely place,” says Leffel, who himself worked at eBay for five years, managing various categories. “If you had time, eBay was a fascinating place to kill time. As the years progressed, as Facebook and Twitter emerged, those became the places where you go to kill time.”
Yardsellr is moving the business of trading to Facebook. It works like this: You go to the Yardsellr website and “Like” the categories of items you’d like to hear about: Purses, Books, or Hello Kitty, for example. When a seller has something to offer in your chosen category, it shows up in your Facebook News Feed. Just as eBay made it possible to trade from within the comfort of your own home, Yardsellr makes it possible to trade from within the comfort of their social network.
The service went live at the beginning of this year. Since then, 1.5 million people have joined, and 20,000 more jump on every day, Leffel says. He won’t divulge how many items have traded hands, saying only that the number is in the “thousands” and that the amount of transactions double every eight weeks. (Leffel says his reticence is due to concern that future reports will cite out-of-date figures.)
The most active categories are Jewelry, Guitars, Quilting, Scrap booking, Knitting, and Star Wars collectibles. That’s because, Leffel says, they play to Yardsellr’s strength: Turning commerce into “content.” Extensive conversations take place among Yardsellr members in the comments below the News Feed posts (as in the image above), giving traders the social connection they thrived on back when eBay started and that still exists today in those parking lot flea markets.
“Traditional retail companies rely on purchase intent,” Leffel says. “They place ads in search engines and try to grab customers who’ve already expressed an intent to buy something.”
“We look for users who have passion around certain things, and then we inspire that intent.”
i received a note from Kurt Spinosa, Sales and Marketing Director at TLSoundco.com and thought i would share it with you. now, being a fan of the 'oldies' (honestly, i wouldn't know a lady gaga song if i heard one) and especially 60's garage rock, this project is a dream come true for music lovers.
Please stop by the TLSound website for more informationwww.tlsoundco.com
I'll let Kurt explain the project:
Finally, the vaults are open....60's Pittsburgh sounds on the Stone Classic Label are now available!
This music was recorded in the 1960’s by the Legendary Pittsburgh Disc Jockey, Band Manager and Record Producer – Terry Lee. I am working in partnership with Terry Lee through the TL Sound Co. to an end goal of releasing everything that he has in his massive master tape vault
As one of the greatest Pittsburgh DJ’s of the 60’s and 70’s, Terry Lee’s mix of Pop songs of the time, Garage Rock music & his famous “ Music for Young Lovers “ ballads is unmatched in Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas.
These records that we will be releasing are coming directly from Terry Lee’s master tape Vault, which is enormous, and will include different versions of the songs ( 12 String Guitar Versions ) and Band Tracks as well. We will be releasing 45's and LP's at first. A lot of these songs will be complete with studio talk, outtakes and direction from Terry Lee, himself. We will also be releasing all of Terry Lee’s “ Music for Young Lovers “ albums on CD and Terry Lee’s Television show he produced for WQED in Pittsburgh.
Most of these Pittsburgh groups and the songs they recorded for Terry Lee have never been released or heard before. We have some of the rarest 60’s garage rock music to offer you. If you are a garage rock enthusiast, you will be amazed and the sound and quality of these recordings. There are thousands of master tapes to look through, and we will be releasing these songs on 45 rpm and in LP format. Records will be pressed in colored wax. Later on we will produce this music on cd’s. We are only pressing 1000 copies of each of these 45’s or LP’s. These records are all going to be Limited Edition 1000 copies. After that we are finished with that one and we will be moving on to release the next one.
During the 60’s & 70’s, Terry Lee wore many hats. Besides being a record producer and disc jockey, Terry Lee was also the band manager of every group that he recorded.
Some of the many groups that Terry Lee recorded are: The Swamp Rats, The Fantastic Dee Jay’s, The Fenways, Trinity Max, Galactus, Lucy Blue, the Chains, Branvatten, Sebastian, Six Av Us, Church Street, Gary Glenn / Bluebird, Timothy, The Chrome Flower, Vulture, Royal Flush, The Arondies and many more.
This garage rock music that Terry Lee brought out of Pittsburgh back in the 60’s needs to be preserved for all time, and that is what Terry Lee and I are going to do within the next few years.
Thank you for your time.
Kurt Spinosa Sales and Marketing Director TLSoundco. com
from the folks at www.groovetownvinyl.com comes this news. another great site selling first class vinyl!
Premiere Online Destination for Bundled Vinyl & Lossless FLAC Products
Universal Music Group Distribution (UMGD), the award-winning sales, marketing, and distribution arm of Universal Music Group (UMG), the world’s leading music company, today announced the launch of Groovetown Vinyl (www.groovetownvinyl.com), an exciting new online storefront specializing in high-quality audio products for the discerning music fan. For the first time, visitors to the site will be able to purchase “lossless” audio FLAC files bundled with collectible high quality vinyl at a discounted price.
“In recent years, there’s been a revolution in sound quality and consumers are clamoring for the richest experience from their audio collection,” stated Mitch Rotter, SVP Marketing & Product Development for UMGD. “Music fans have fallen in love all over again with the vinyl experience, from the packaging to the distinctive sound to the collectability, and the FLAC file provides the ease of digital listening without any of the sacrifice that normally accompanies digitally compressed audio files. Groovetown’s quality audio products will satisfy all types of consumers - the audiophile, the technologist, and the true music aficionado.”
For a limited time, visitors purchasing bundled FLAC and vinyl products will receive a 15% discount on all purchases and free shipping on transactions over $50.00. Visitors can also enter a sweepstakes to win a vinyl starter collection consisting of 1 copy of every LP available on the site. This promotion will run from April 5th to April 19th.
About Groovetown
Groovetown is an online store that specializes in both vintage style vinyl products, as well as FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) music downloads – the “lossless” digital audio compresses music without any compromise to the audio quality of the original recording. Groovetown features recordings from such chart-topping artists as Eminem, Lady Gaga, Johnny Cash, Guns N Roses, The Rolling Stones, Jay-Z, Guns ‘N Roses, and Weezer. Visit us at www.groovetownvinyl.com. Groovetown’s commerce and media delivery is powered by Echospin, a leading technology company whose pioneering solutions enable rights holders to sell and promote digital, physical and mobile goods directly to fans.
About Universal Music Group Distribution
Universal Music Group Distribution is a division of Universal Music Group (UMG), the world’s leading music company, with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 territories. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, the industry's leading global music publishing operation.
Universal Music Group's record labels include A&M/Octone, Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, Fonovisa, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Polydor Records, Show Dog – Universal Music, Universal Motown Republic Group, Universal Music Latino and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalogue of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world's most popular artists and their recordings. UMG’s catalogue is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, its new media and technologies division; Bravado, its merchandising company; and Twenty-First Artists, its full service management division.
Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and communications company.
